30 Jan 2016

Central Finance Rotokare caused an upset in Soffe Cup tennis on Saturday when they secured an away win against the defending champions Huatoki 11-5.  Scores were locked up at 4-all after the singles but Rotokare dominated the remaining matches, only allowing Huatoki a single doubles victory.  The Rotokare men performed well with Malcolm Elder disposing of Jayden Harrison 6-2 6-4, Shane Devlin expectedly over Tim Ussher 6-1 6-3 and John Lehman performing well with a win over Ronan Avery 6-3 6-2.  Veteran, Murray Keast was the only man to win with a 6-4 6-3 win over Blair Crowley.  Apart from Rotokare's Karen Cranston steamrolling Tracey Old 6-0 6-3, the Huatoki ladies created business as usual.  Ellen O'Byrne 6-1 6-4 over Tania Atkinson, Chris Wilson 6-2 6-4 over Chantelle Peters and Lorraine Heedegen 6-1 6-3 over Helena Goodin.  Rotokare then took over winning both men's doubles, one ladies doubles and convincing wins in all four combines.

 RE/MAX Pukekura, at home, were too good for Competition leaders Hareb Deken Oakura 10-6.  Pukekura's Dani Guerra was impressive beating Taranaki rep Jamie Simpson 6-2 6-1.  Brady Simpson for Oakura then took out Meto Snegirev 6-2 6-0 whilst teammate Craig Waite outplayed Andrew Hood 7-6 6-3.  Pukekura evened up the men's singles via David Barnard defeating Len Adamson 6-3 7-5.  In the ladies singles, Louise Waite (Pukekura) predictably beat Bailey Bruckner 6-1 6-2 and Waite's teammates, Kirsten Adam and Linda Reid were too good for Jackie Keenan and Chris Davies respectively before Oakura's Ana Spurdle had a good win over Donna Thorne 7-6 6-4.  The men's doubles matches were extremely close affairs.  Guerra/Snegirev beat Simpson/Simpson 6-7 6-4 7-6 whilst Barnard/Hood lost to Adamson/Waite 4-6 6-2 10-8.  The ladies doubles were shared one apiece.  Leading 7-5, Pukekura then secured three combines wins for the 10-6 victory.

The Farmlands Okaiawa/Manaia versus Thomson O'Neil Stratford was destined to be close on paper but Stratford ignored that and came out winners 11-5.  Stratford won seven of the singles matches to take a very healthy lead.  Sam Howard outlasted Mark Laurence 6-3 7-6, Grant Kite won a mammoth match against Josh Murdoch 7-5 2-6 7-6 whilst Ryk Ferguson was clinical in his win over Alaister Murdoch 6-1 6-3.  Vince Baylis picked up the sole win for the combined side defeating Andy Roberts 6-2 6-2.  The Stratford ladies performed well with Lynn Stanners defeating Carolyn Jackson 6-2 6-4, Mylie Thwaites winning a topsy-turvy match 6-2 2-6 6-1 over Georgia Jackson and Kristen Lourie too good for Helen Johnston 6-1 6-3.  Katie Stanners won the remaing match over Jaimee Baylis 7-5 6-3.  Both men's doubles matches were extremely tight affairs with both going the way of Okaiawa/Manaia.  Laurence/Baylis beat Howard/Roberts 6-7(3) 6-1 10-5 whilst Murdoch/Murdoch beat Kite/Ferguson 1-6 7-5 12-10. Stratford won both ladies doubles and the combines were shared.

Results
Wilson Trophy
Matapu 13 Huatoki 3, Pukekura 11 Hawera 5, Inglewood 12 Okaiawa/Manaia 4.
Sumpter Trophy
Huatoki 9 Stratford 7, Rotokare 15 South Combined 1, Hawera v Oakura no result.

Points
Soffe Cup
Oakura 81.5, Huatoki 78, Pukekura 66, Stratford 56.5, Rotokare 50.5, Okaiawa/Manaia 45.5.
Wilson Trophy
Matapu 104.5, Inglewood 87, Hawera 82, Pukekura 80, Huatoki 64.5, Okaiawa/Manaia 43.
Sumpter Trophy
Pukekura17, Rotokare 17, Oakura 16, Stratford 13, Huatoki 13, Hawera 12, South Combined 2.